Experimental viral polymyositis

Abstract

Ross River virus (RRV) causes an age-dependent myositis in mice. Infected 4-week-old mice develop no clinical signs, but 1-week-old mice develop weakness and myositis. Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to RRV in the two age groups are comparable, and immunosuppression does not alter age-dependent resistance to clinical disease. Immunosuppression of 1-week-old mice protracts clinical signs and reduces muscle inflammation but does not alter muscle necrosis or regeneration. These studies suggest that immune responses do not determine age dependency of RRV myositis and that muscle necrosis results from direct viral lysis of muscle fibers.

Complement Contributes to Inflammatory Tissue Destruction in a Mouse Model of Ross River Virus-Induced Disease

“…In situ hybridization was performed as described previously (16). Briefly, an 35 S-labeled RRV-specific riboprobe (complementary for RRV nucleotides 7300 to 7775) was generated with an SP6-specific MAXIscript in vitro transcription kit (Ambion) from a NotI-linearized plasmid. A riboprobe complementary for the EBER2 gene from Epstein-Barr virus was used as a negative control.…”

Antibody-dependent enhancement and persistence in macrophages of an arbovirus associated with arthritis

“…Fax +61 7 33620106. e-mail andreasS@qimr.edu.au blood and viral antigens can be detected in synovial monocyte/macrophages during the first week after the onset of symptoms (Fraser, 1986). Elevated interferon-7 (IFN-7) levels were also found in exudates taken during this time (J. R. E. Fraser & A. L. Cunningham, personal communication).RRV has a large host range and can infect many cell types (Aaskov & Doherty, 1994) including murine muscle cells, and human epidermal and synovial ceils (Seay et al, 1981 ;Fraser, 1986). Using the RRV prototype strain T48, we found that the following human cell types could be productively infected with RRV resulting in overt cytopathic effect (CPE): human primary dermal and synovial fibroblasts, primary endothelial cells, osteogenic sarcoma (ATCC CRL 1547), intestinal smooth muscle (ATCC CRL 1692) and HeLa (ATCC CCL 2).…”

“…RRV has a large host range and can infect many cell types (Aaskov & Doherty, 1994) including murine muscle cells, and human epidermal and synovial ceils (Seay et al, 1981 ;Fraser, 1986). Using the RRV prototype strain T48, we found that the following human cell types could be productively infected with RRV resulting in overt cytopathic effect (CPE): human primary dermal and synovial fibroblasts, primary endothelial cells, osteogenic sarcoma (ATCC CRL 1547), intestinal smooth muscle (ATCC CRL 1692) and HeLa (ATCC CCL 2).…”

“…No simple correlation between ADE titres and EPA could thus be established and the role, if any, of ADE in EPA pathogenesis remains elusive. One might speculate that ADE operates early in infection when rising (but still subneutralizing) IgG titres coincide with the serum viraemia (Seay et al, 1981) giving rise to increased infection of macrophages and monocytes. Such a mechanism may be important for establishing a persistent infection in these cells (Kanno et al, 1993).…”

Exercise-Induced Serum Enzyme Elevations Confounding the Evaluation of Investigational Drug Toxicity: Report of Two Cases in a Vaccine Trial

“…28,29 Myalgia, a common manifestation of viral infections and in particular Coxsackie B infections, may be caused by infection and/or inflammation of striated muscle. Interestingly, the alphaviruses, including Sindbis, Ross River, and Mayaro viruses, have the highest tropism for striated muscle, 30 but there are no clinical case reports of rhabdomyolysis associated with these epidemic diseases. In our two subjects, there was no evidence that the viral infection caused by live vaccines was a factor in the serum enzyme elevations reflecting muscle damage.…”